Zoustar injury leaves Australia without a Royal Ascot runner

Racing writer for The Age

The shock injury to high-class three-year-old Zoustar has meant that Australia will not have a representative at the 2014 Royal Ascot racing carnival in England.

.And for trainer Chris Waller, it’s been a devastating end to a carefully managed plan to have Zoustar compete at arguably the world’s most important day of racing.

The youngster suffered a strain to a suspensory ligament in his lead-up to the Diamond Jubilee Stakes in June with connections now deciding to retire the horse.

Zoustar will stand at Widden Stud this breeding season. "To go all that way with one horse, it’s a real kick in the backside," Waller said.

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"I got the feeling we were representing Australia. We had built ourselves up; we thought we had the right horse and he set off on a mammoth trip.

"Everything seemed to be coming along so well. To take that big step on the big stage and then for it to go wrong is just shattering."

Zoustar goes to the breeding barn as a dual group 1 winner with earnings of $1.4 million from only nine race starts and is expected to command a service fee of $44,000.

Meanwhile, former coal millionaire Nathan Tinkler has sold his Patinack Farm racehorse operation. Patinack has been sold to a consortium of local and overseas buyers, including Middle East-based investors, but the sale price has not been disclosed.

Tinkler put Patinack on the market more than a year ago. Now based in Singapore, he says he can no longer spare the time to maintain the business. However, there is a wide variance in what industry sources are saying Tinkler received for his interests. Some believe it could be close to $100 million, but it appears more likely to be nearer $30 million.